Apparatus and method for measuring dimension of circular object

ABSTRACT

The invention provides an apparatus and a method for measuring a dimension of a circular object. First to third sensors arranged in a straight line are disposed above a track to respectively measure time instants when the circular object moves past the first to third sensors. The dimension of the circular object is calculated according to distances between the first and second sensors and between the second and third sensors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a method of quickly determining a dimension ofa circular object using sensors to measure time instants without theneed of a ruler for measuring a diameter of the circular object.

(2) Description of the Prior Art

In the prior art for measuring a diameter of a coin, two sensors aredisposed on a track on which the coin rolls in one method. The diameterof the coin is calculated according to time instants when the coinreaches and leaves the sensors, as shown in FIG. 4.

However, this dual-sensor design needs the longer stable track so thatfour time instants for the calculation of the diameter may be obtained.Referring to FIG. 4, if an equivalent chord length drawn by a circularobject on the sensor is equal to C, and a gap between the sensors isequal to U, then the required minimum length of the stable track has tobe equal to (C+U).

However, some coin inspection mechanisms have predetermined dimensionlimitations. For example, a top entry (falling type) coin inspectionmechanism has the standard specification with the fixed smallerdimension. Because the dual-sensor design needs the longer stable tracklength, it is usually difficult to place the dual-sensor design into thecoin inspection mechanism with the limited dimension.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above-identified problems mentioned in the background ofthe invention, the invention provides another method of disposingsensors in order to shorten the track length. Three sensors are disposedso that the required stable track length can be shortened to anequivalent chord length, which is always shorter than the diameter ofthe coin.

An objective of the invention is to provide an apparatus and a methodfor measuring a dimension of a circular object. First to third sensorsarranged in a straight line are disposed above a track to respectivelymeasure time instants when the circular object moves past the first tothird sensors. The dimension of the circular object is calculatedaccording to distances between the first and second sensors and betweenthe second and third sensors. Thus, the invention can further measurethe dimensions of continuously inserted objects.

Further aspects, objects, and desirable features of the invention willbe better understood from the detailed description and drawings thatfollow in which various embodiments of the disclosed invention areillustrated by way of examples.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration showing an embodiment of theinvention.

FIGS. 2A to 2D are schematic illustrations showing measurements obtainedwhen a to-be-measured object sequentially moves past first to thirdsensors.

FIG. 3 shows the relationship between the velocity of the to-be-measuredobject and the time.

FIG. 4 shows a conventional method of measuring a diameter of a coin.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In view of this, the present inventor develops a method of shorteningthe dimension of the track according to the learned knowledge andexperience. Three sensors are disposed above the track such that thetrack length can be minimized to solve the conventional problem of theinconvenience in use and the conventional problem of the limitedapplication range.

The direction of the invention discussed herein is an apparatus and amethod for measuring a dimension of a circular object. In order to makethe invention be clearly understood, detailed steps and components willbe described in the following. Obviously, the implementation of theinvention is not limited to the special details of the dimensionmeasurement apparatus and method known by one of ordinary skill in theart. On the other hand, the well known components or steps are notspecified in detail to avoid the unessential limitations to theinvention. The preferred embodiment of the invention will be describedin the following. However, in addition to these details, the inventionmay also be widely applied to other embodiments, and the scope of theinvention is not particularly limited and is defined according to thefollowing claims.

As shown in FIG. 1, the invention provides an apparatus for measuring adimension of a circular object (also referred to as a to-be-measuredobject), and the apparatus is composed of a smooth track and first tothird sensors. The distance between the first and second sensors is u₁,the distance between the second and third sensors is u₂, and the firstto third sensors are disposed above the track at a height H. Theto-be-measured objects A, B and C sequentially roll from left to rightat a constant acceleration a (or at a constant velocity when a=0). Theleading edges of the to-be-measured objects sequentially reach thesensing point S₁ of the first sensor, the sensing point S₂ of the secondsensor, and the sensing point S₃ of the third sensor. Thereafter, thetrailing edges of the to-be-measured objects leave the first sensor S₁.The four time instants are respectively recorded as t₀, t₁, t₂ and t₃.

The track tilts to the horizontal surface, wherein the horizontal levelof the first sensor is higher than the horizontal level of the secondsensor and the horizontal level of the second sensor is higher than thehorizontal level of the third sensor such that the to-be-measured objectrolls or slides along the track and thus contacts the first sensor at aninitial velocity v₀.

As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D, when the to-be-measured object reaches thefirst sensor, the time instant t₀ when the to-be-measured object reachesthe first sensor is recorded, as shown in FIG. 2A. Thereafter, when theto-be-measured object reaches the second sensor, the time instant t₁when the to-be-measured object reaches the second sensor is recorded.For the sake of calculation, t₀ is defined as 0. Thus, the distancebetween the first and second sensors may be represented by u₁=v₀t₁+at₁²/2, wherein the initial velocity v₀ may be represented as v₀=(u₁−at₁²/2)/t₁=u₁/t₁−at₁/2.

When the to-be-measured object reaches the third sensor, the timeinstant t₂ when the to-be-measured object reaches the third sensor isrecorded, as shown in FIG. 2C. As shown in FIG. 3, the area of the uppertrapezoid between t₁ and t₂ is equal to(at₁+at₂)(t₂−t₁)/2=a(t₂+t₁)(t₂−t₁)/2, and the area of the lowerrectangular between t₁ and t₂ is equal to v₀(t₂−t₁). The vertical axisof FIG. 3 represents the velocity v at which the to-be-measured objectmoves past each sensor, and the horizontal axis represents the timeinstant t when the to-be-measured object moves past each sensor.

However, according to the kinematics and geometry, the distance betweenthe second and third sensors is equal to the sum of the above-mentionedtwo areas, and the distance between the second and third sensors isequal to u₂=v₀(t₂−t₁)+a(t₂+t₁)(t₂−t₁)/2=u₁(t₂−t₁)/t₁+a(t₂−t₁)t₂/2. Thus,the acceleration may also be calculated asa−2[u₂−u₁(t₂−t₁)/t₁]/t₂(t₂−t₁).

When the to-be-measured object leaves the first sensor, the time instantt₃ when the to-be-measured object leaves the first sensor is recorded,as shown in FIG. 2D. Thus, the chord length of the to-be-measured objectdrawn by the sensor may be calculated as D_(e)=u₁(t₃/t₁)+(t₃²−t₃t₁)[u₂−u₁(t₂−t₁)/t₁]/t₂(t₂−t₁) again according to theabove-mentioned v₀ and a. When the to-be-measured object is a coin,D_(e) is a cord or an equivalent diameter of the coin.

The apparatus and method for measuring the dimension of the circularobject according to the invention may be applied to the dimensioncontrol of steel balls, and may also be applied to the classification ofcoins in a coin inspection machine. Obviously, the invention may havemany modifications and changes according to the description of theembodiment. Thus, the invention has to be understood according to theappended claims. In addition to the detailed description, the inventionmay also be widely implemented in other embodiments.

New characteristics and advantages of the invention covered by thisdocument have been set forth in the foregoing description. It is to beexpressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose ofillustration only and are not intended as a definition of the limits ofthe invention. Changes in methods, shapes, structures or devices may bemade in details without exceeding the scope of the invention by thosewho are skilled in the art. The scope of the invention is, of course,defined in the language in which the appended claims are expressed.

1. An apparatus for measuring a dimension of a circular object, theapparatus comprising: a track; and first to third sensors, sequentiallyarranged in a straight line and disposed above the track, forrespectively measuring time instants when the circular object moves pastthe first to third sensors, wherein the dimension of the circular objectis calculated according to distances between the first and secondsensors and between the second and third sensors.
 2. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein: the dimension of the circular object iscalculated according to D_(e)=u₁(t₃/t₁)+(t₃²−t₃t₁)[u₂−u₁(t₂−t₁)/t₁]/t₂(t₂−t₁), wherein D_(e) is a length of thecircular object along a track path direction, t₁ is the time instantwhen the circular object reaches the second sensor, t₂ is the timeinstant when the circular object reaches the third sensor, t₃ is thetime instant when the circular object leaves the first sensor, u₁ is thedistance between the first and second sensors, and u₂ is the distancebetween the second and third sensors.
 3. The apparatus according toclaim 2, wherein the time instant when the circular object reaches thefirst sensor is defined as
 0. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the track tilts to a horizontal surface, a horizontal level ofthe first sensor is higher than a horizontal level of the second sensor,and the horizontal level of the second sensor is higher than ahorizontal level of the third sensor such that the circular object rollsor slides along the track and thus reaches the first sensor at aninitial velocity v₀.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thecircular object is a coin, and D_(e) is an equivalent diameter of thecoin.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circular objectmoves on the track at a constant acceleration, and the first to thirdsensors are disposed above the track at suitable heights H.
 7. A methodfor measuring a dimension of a circular object, the method comprisingthe steps of: disposing first to third sensors above a track, wherein adistance between the first and second sensors is u₁ and a distancebetween the second and third sensors is u₂; moving the circular objecton the track and recording a time instant t₀ when the circular objectreaches the first sensor, a time instant t₁ when the circular objectreaches the second sensor, a time instant t₂ when the circular objectreaches the third sensor, and a time instant t₃ when the circular objectleaves the first sensor; and calculating a chord length of the circularobject drawn by the sensor according to D_(e)=u₁(t₃/t₁)+(t₃²−t₃t₁)[u₂−u₁(t₂−t₁)/t₁]/t₂(t₂−t₁).
 8. The method according to claim 7,wherein the time instant t₀ when the circular object reaches the firstsensor is defined as
 0. 9. The method according to claim 7, wherein thetrack tilts to a horizontal surface, a horizontal level of the firstsensor is higher than a horizontal level of the second sensor, and thehorizontal level of the second sensor is higher than a horizontal levelof the third sensor such that the circular object rolls or slides alongthe track and thus reaches the first sensor at an initial velocity. 10.The method according to claim 7, wherein the circular object is a coin,and D_(e) is an equivalent diameter of the coin.
 11. The methodaccording to claim 7, the circular object moves on the track at aconstant velocity or a constant acceleration, and the first to thirdsensors are disposed above the track at suitable heights H.